by KD Jones
“What? You have to be kidding. A Reptan gathering? For who?”
“A fighter named Esan. his sister Sersan was the one I just finished a wedding for.”
“Esan the Deadly?”
“I guess that’s him.” The name did fit him perfectly.
“He seems so ... dangerous, and hot, from what I’ve seen on TV. What’s he like in real life?”
“Dangerous ... and hot,” she admitted.
“Ohhhh…sounds like someone’s interest has been piqued.”
“Please, Maisy, we’re not even the same species. Besides, did you miss the part about my planning his gathering?”
“What is that anyway?”
“It’s a Reptan type of meet-and-greet for potential mates. He’s going to bring full Reptan females here to the GCFA ship to see if he can find a match.”
“So, basically he’s taken, or will be soon.”
“Exactly.”
“That’s too bad. You could use a little excitement and danger in your life to wake you up.”
Nina snorted. “I am fully awake.”
“Really? When was your last date?”
“Brad…right before I came here.”
“You mean the Brad who dumped you because you took the job with the GCFA and demanded that you quit altogether. That Brad?”
Nina cringed at her sister’s irate tone. “Yes.”
“That was a few months ago. You haven’t dated anyone while you’ve been on board the GCFA ship?”
“I’ve been a little busy with my new job. I went through orientation, had to meet with lawyers for the GCFA, then meet new clients. I haven’t had time to date.”
“You need to make time, sis. I’ll never be an aunt at this rate.”
“Hey, I’m not the only sister you’ve got. Shouldn’t the older two be responsible for propagating?”
“Deanna is newly married and says she is waiting another year before they start a family. Jocelyn and Ted have been engaged forever. I don’t know if they will ever get married and have children. Me, Lynette and Stephy are too young to think of getting serious right now. So it all boils down to you.”
“I need a boyfriend before I can get to the propagating.”
“Then get busy finding one.”
Sighing, Nina plopped down on her couch and kicked off her shoes. “I will have more time to date after I have completed these next three events.”
“You always say that. You went two years without dating anyone before you started up with that loser Brad. Are you going to go another two years?”
“Hey, if you’re so desperate to have a baby in your arms, maybe you should be the one settling down.”
“Please, I’m having too much fun playing the field right now to settle for anything. Oh, maybe I can come visit you on the ship and help you find a date.”
“No, no way and hell to the no! We do not have the same taste in men at all.”
Maisy laughed. “Don’t I know it. I like men with tattoos, piercings and an edge to them. You always end up dating guys who look like accountants.”
“That’s not…”
“Don’t even deny it. If I’m not mistaken Brad was an accountant.”
Damn, she was right. “I can’t help if I prefer men who have stable reliable jobs.”
“Stable jobs do not guarantee you that they are right for you.”
Maisy was surprisingly right about a lot of things. “What do you think I should do?”
“Look for someone who is different from what you normally go for. I think that’s why you’ve failed at relationships thus far. It’s because you want them to be like you. You need excitement. Someone who will get you out of your comfort zone but won’t try to change you. Differences with mutual respect is the key.”
“You’re younger than me. How do you know so much?”
“I have three older sisters and parents that still act like teenagers in love. I watch and learn.”
“How are mom and dad?”
Maisy groaned. “They’re planning to renew their vows for their next anniversary.”
“They have done that three other times already.”
“They say that each time they renew their vows, it’s like getting married all over again and the best part for them is the ‘hot horny sex on their honeymoon’.”
“Maisy!”
“Hey, those were their words not mine.”
“Ugh, they’re too old to be acting like that,” Nina complained, but she couldn’t stop the smile that came across her face. Her parents had always been loving, just like her grandparents and greatparents. She had good role models when it came to relationships, so why was she still single?
Chapter 8
The next morning at fight practice
Esan glared at Jet as they circled each other in the cage. Rage was letting them practice fight each other to help get some of the tension out of them. The male was good but not as experienced as Esan. He had a few tells that would give his opponent signs indicating when he would make a move. When Jet rolled to his left should he was about to throw a punch. When Jet put more weight on his right foot he would follow up with a kick with his left leg. These were things that had to be trained out of the new fighters. Esan was happy to be the one to show Jet where he was messing up.
Jet rolled his shoulders and Esan easily dodged the punch coming his way by moving around him. He then kicked Jet in the back of his leg. Jet went down to one knee. Esan took advantage of Jet’s compromised position and kicked him in the middle of his back, knocking him to his stomach. It was a low blow but their real opponents weren’t going to be fighting honorably either. The newbies were going to have to toughen up.
“Damn it, Jet! You’re showing telltale signs of your anticipated moves, and that leaves you open. Get up off your knees and attack!” Rage yelled from the other side of the fence.
Jet shot up like he had a fire up his ass and came at Esan in a full charge. Another mistake he was making was letting his anger fuel his actions. Esan kept his movements smooth and calculated, blocking the punches thrown his way. Jet’s kicks only moved him a few inches back. Hell, he took punches from Rage and Hammer on a regular basis. This was nothing to him.
Esan made a front kick and hit Jet. Each male threw a punch at the other, but Esan’s punches were more controlled and got more contact. When they were a few feet apart, Esan took his conserved energy and let loose with a flying knee. He took a jab from Jet and responded with his own. He released his stored fury on to to Jet with total focus, with one punch, one kick, one jab one right after another until he gave one final overhand. Jet dropped to his knees. The fighter fell backward into unconsciousness.
“Damn, Esan. That was a bit savage, even for you.” Zen whistled as he commented.
Esan walked to the opening of the cage to climb out and Rage blocked him for a moment. “Was that necessary?”
“Yesss, I would sssay ssso.”
Rage just glared at him as Esan climbed out of the cage. Rage turned to his assistant. “Call for a healer. Jet needs to be fully checked out before he can finish his practice for the day. Esan, hit the treadmill and burn off any residual energy you have.”
Esan looked back at him. “I’m fine. but I’ll ssstop by the treadmill.” He walked away, knowing that the other fighters were looking at him. He understood their confusion. He was usually calm but then would explode with violence during his fights. That’s what got him his dangerous reputation. It was good when he had to go up against fighters to keep others at a distance. His sister claimed it was also his downfall when it came to females. The humans found him attractive but were too scared to approach him for sex. The Reptan females were far more aggressive and found that his halfsie side was pleasurable in bed.
Full Reptans had spikes that came out as they ejaculated to secure their place inside a female, ensuring the best possible chances for breeding. It was uncomfortable for Reptan females, but it could cause extreme pain and blood loss for othe
r species. He didn’t have such spikes but it always made him wary of getting involved with anyone who wasn’t Reptan.
He suspected that this anatomical issue had been the reason he and his sister were created in a lab instead of being results of natural breeding between a human and a Reptan. A human male as the father would have been considered too weak to impregnate a Reptan female, and a male Reptan probably would have killed any human female he tried to have sex with. The scientists called him and Sersan a scientific breakthrough, miraculous. The Reptans called them unnatural.
His sister had been treated like a pariah growing up, but once she reached maturity, the Reptan males wanted their chance to have sex with someone more human, soft and easy to bend to their will. They didn’t approach her to mate respectfully until he and Sersan had gotten money and fame with the GCFA. Even then, the males he tried to hand-pick for her weren’t after her for love. He was glad his sister hadn’t wanted a Reptan male, but find love with a different species. Ronin loved his sister and made her happier than he had ever seen before. For that, he would be eternally grateful.
Esan entered the weight room and got onto an empty treadmill next to Zen. Zen the Sin was running effortlessly without seeming out of breath at all. Running wasn’t Esan’s thing but it kept his stamina up and it was a good workout. After thirty minutes of running, he would take a shower, change, and meet Nina for lunch.
A smile came over him from out of nowhere just at the thought of Nina Sinclair. The human was surprising and spirited — and those curves of hers had him drooling just a little. He could remember the feel of her in his arms, and he wanted to feel her there again. This was an impossible situation. She was human and he was a Reptan halfsie looking to mate a full Reptan.
“What the hell are you thinking about over there?” Zen asked.
“What?”
“One minute you’re smiling like a cat in front of a bowl of milk. The next time I look over at you, you’re practically growling and wearing a pissed-off expression.”
“Ssstop looking at me then.”
“Whatever, I was just trying to help you.”
Esan turned off the treadmill and turned to face Zen who was turning his machine off, too. “What makesss you think I need help?”
“Your upcoming gathering, your sister being away on her honeymoon, and the fact that you are attacking the newbies tells me that you are bordering on losing your shit.”
“I’m not sssaying that any of that is true, but why do you care?”
“I’ve fought alongside you for the past few years. The GCFA fighters grow close, almost like a family. I love your sister like she’s my sister and I have come to tolerate your sorry ass. You can push everyone away but know that if you need something, we will have your back. Even if you don’t want it, you’ll have it.”
Esan stared at Zen, feeling surprised and humbled. He knew that Sersan was well loved among the GCFA crew, but he hadn’t expected any of the fighters to care anything for him. It left him feeling strange, full of emotions he didn’t even know he possessed. He cleared his throat.
“Thanksss, but I don’t need help.” Esan stepped off his treadmill and walked away.
“Stubborn ass,” Zen called out as he started his treadmill back up.
Esan ignored the comment and continued on to the showers. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate the concern. The GCFA was like a family to him and his sister. For so long, he’d had to look after Sersan and take care of her, protect her. When they came to the GCFA, she had made friends and started to take care of herself. It was hard letting go of the control, and in fact he had fought it tooth and nail. However, it was the best thing he could have ever done for Sersan. She had blossomed into the most amazing female. He was so proud, but also lonely. Taking care of her had been the entire focus of his life. What was he supposed to do now that she was gone?
That was why he decided this would be the best time for him to find a mate. He would be able to focus on his career and his mate would satisfy those nights when he was loneliest. Maybe one day they would breed a child or two. He couldn’t see himself as a father. There wasn’t a good role model for him to take after. His foster father was cold and calculating. The male had no kindness in his heart and no tolerance for children. Esan had done all he could to give Sersan a happy childhood, but he knew his efforts never fully replaced real parental affection.
After he entered the locker room, he started to remove his workout clothing. He tossed them in the laundry bin. When he entered the shower stalls, the water came on automatically. He washed himself quickly then dried off. He walked back to the locker area and opened his locker. He pulled out a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt.
He put on socks and boots then glanced at the mirror. Normally he wore his hair in a spike to show his scales on the side of his head. Should he wear it up or smoothed down to make him appear more human? What would Nina prefer?
Growling at his wayward thoughts of the human, he grabbed the hair gel from his locker and spiked his hair up. The gel hardened within seconds. There was no reason to appear like something he wasn’t. It was time to go plan his future.
Chapter 9
Nina was nervous as she hurried out of the elevator and across the foyer toward the first floor grill and bar. She was running a little late and that wasn’t like her. Her second couple had called just as she was leaving her suite to make more changes to their reception. She tried to convince them to call her assistant but no — they had to have Nina. That was the price to pay for trying to be the best event coordinator. Clients expected to speak directly with her.
She halted in her tracks when she saw Esan. He was leaning his back against the outside wall of the bar, looking at his phone in his hand. She took that moment to admire him while he didn’t know anyone was watching. He was tall and muscular. Those jeans fit him perfectly. He had his blond hair spiked up and both his ears were pieced. Esan was handsome and absolutely sexy.
He lifted his head up and caught sight of her. She walked forward, looking at him apologetically. “I am so sorry I’m late. I hate being late for anything and usually I’m never late. I had a client call just as I was leaving.” She spoke quickly, rushing through her excuse.
Esan shrugged. “I jussst got here myssself.”
She wasn’t sure that was the truth but she appreciated him saying it. “Shall we go in?”
“Yesss.” He turned to open the door for her.
She liked that he had manners despite the fact that he was rough around the edges. When she first encountered Esan, he had finished a fight and then rushed over to Sersan’s to go over his duties of giving her away. When he came in, he barely looked at anyone in the room but Sersan. Also, he only spoke when someone asked him a direct question, unless it was Sersan. He protested when he was told he had to give a toast. Needless to say, Zen ended up being the one to give the toast.
Nina followed him to a table in the far corner, where it was less crowded. He pulled out a chair for her and waited until she was seated comfortably. Then he sat down across from her.
The waitress came to take their orders. Esan drank orange juice and she ordered a glass of water. She was curious. “Do you drink alcohol?”
“Yesss, but I limit it to beer. Alcohol hasss a ssstrange effect on me and my sssissster.”
“What kind of effect?”
“Sssersssan takesss a few sssips and she getsss really giggly. I get ... excited.”
It was the way he said ‘excited’ that made her think of sex. She cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. “Does alcohol affect just you two that way? Or does it affect all Reptans?”
“Nope, jussst usss. It’sss sssome weird resssult of usss being mixed.”
The drinks arrived and their food order was taken. She found herself wanting to know more about him. As far as she knew, Esan and Sersan were the only Reptan halfsies in existence.
“Sersan told me very little about your childhood. Did you ever find out who
your parents were?”
“We weren’t like other halfsssiesss whossse parentsss were either paid or forced into breeding experimentsss. Sssersssan and I were created in a lab. The goal wasss to get the Reptan ssstrength and aggresssivenesss while providing a buffer with the human genesss. One of the ssscientissstsss told me when I wasss very young that their original thought wasss to create the two of usss in hopesss of one day being able to breed usss.”
Nina was horrified. “Together? As a couple?”
“I believe that wasss their intent, but they didn’t realize that Sssersssan and I were bound asss sssiblingsss. Even if we didn’t share the sssame DNA, we would have been tied to each other asss family becaussse of our shared circumstancesss. When the ssscientistsss finally realized that, they beat usss every chance they got in order to take out their frussstration.”
“Those sick bastards! I hope they rot behind bars for the rest of their miserable lives. No child should be treated that way.”
Esan couldn’t fight the smile that came to his lips at the anger she felt on his and Sersan’s behalf. “Don’t worry. Mossst of the ssscientistsss were killed when the IDJ invaded the facility we were at.”
“The IDJ were that aggressive? I heard that the scientists and the corporations that backed them were arrested and charged.”
“Sssome of the ssscientistsss did not want to be arresssted. They fought back, and sssome died.”
“Well ... I’m not sorry that they did.”
“Me neither.”
The food arrived, providing a distraction and a much-needed change in conversation. “This is really good,” she said before taking another sip of her water.
“It isss. The GCFA definitely hasss the bessst of everything, including ressstaurantsss on board their ship.”
“Do you live year round on the ship or do you go back to your home world when you’re not traveling on the circuit?”
“Sssersssan and I have alwaysss remained on board the ship. I don’t know if that will change now that she isss mated. I know she wantsss to ssstart a family and may decide to leave. I don’t blame her for wanting to have the family that we never had.”